Sound Off

“Sound Off” is a forum to spur dialogue from residents of the many communities we serve on topics of interest in those communities. Fair game are comments that raise issues of note or amplify ongoing debates.

We will not publish comments that are potentially libelous, slanderous, vulgar or inappropriate. Publication of “Sound Off” comments is at the sole discretion of this newspaper.

“I’m calling about the 2013 Coatesville graduation at CASH. I missed my granddaughter’s graduation and I had a ticket to go into the gym. They had roads blocked off. Different parking was not communicated to the families and it should have been put in the paper to let you know that you had to leave even earlier because of the bad weather. They knew it was going to rain and I still feel that could have left the parents in during that superintendent’s speech because that was about nothing. Hopefully all this will be corrected for next year.”

-- GM

“Congratulations to Courtney, from her mom dad. Have a nice graduation day.”

-- M&D

“Regarding last week’s Sound off about Coatesville’s graduation ... I’m wondering if we were at the same graduation. I’m a parent of a graduating senior, I was at my second Coatesville graduation. I thought it was absolutely wonderful, I thought the kids behaved respectfully. I also though the administration acted very respectfully and also felt they held it together,seeing as though they had apparently lost no only a very good friend the night before. So I am sure that if Superintendent Como’s speech wasn’t the most exciting that he has ever given, I congratulate him for doing such a good job under which I am sure an emotional distress. Again, I thought that the graduation was great and done very well.”

-- Mrs. NN

“The news reports are that carbon admissions have increased. Perhaps if people were made aware of how inexpensive these new automobiles are to purchase, I would guess a large number of people would do so. Cheap cars, taxis, buses and new autos can all help reduce carbon admissions. We have an abundance of clean-burning natural gas, why on God’s good green Earth would anyone build a pipeline so they can export. I say keep our gas in the United States and reduce our oil imports. That would be good for America.”

-- John of Caln

“About the Republican Party ... I totally disagree with Eddie. I don’t know how the president would no about the IRS when it was low-level employees, And lastly, at the last local election only 57 people of the voters showed up and voted here in Downingtown. The real power to affect change at the local level ... they must get out and vote. Remember to vote 2014.”

-- John of Downingtown

“To Tex, I agree with you on the teachers union. They started after the Vietnam War ended. They turned our schools into a money business ... money first, students second. Unions have their place in life but like a lot of things with human nature they have overstepped their bounds big time.”

-- Joe of Coatesville

“To Rob, I applaud your views on the GOP Congress and the Republicans. The problem is when a Republican is president the Democrats oppose the president also. That’s also why I am an Independent. We are not going to be able as a nation to through four more years of this stuff. I hope there are a lot more Independents out there who have the same views. And by the way, the liberal news media has added coal to this fire that molds our nation’s image.”

-- Joe

“To West Bradford citizens ... the Embreeville complex has been sold. Sixteen asbestos filled buildings will be filling your air with air-borne toxic materials and no plans are in place. In 2009 the plan was for a nursing home complex ... well not anymore. When you moved here did you move here to deal with all the charm of traffic, abestos danger, noise and sewage?”

-- Anon of West Bradford

“I was also present for this year’s Coatesville’s commencement ceremony. How anyone can condemn a ceremony celebrating the class of 2013 in beyond words. Commencement is not supposed to be an awards ceremony. It’s a special time that signifies a passing on to a new phase in one’s life. The class of 2013 showed more enthusiasm and spirit last Thursday than any class in recent memory. They displayed their pride with the class commencement speech. The administrators spoke of from the heart of the school community that they love. There were several moments during the ceremony that raised the hair on the back of my neck with the roar of the crowd. It is truly a blessing to see so many people with so many diverse backgrounds coming together to celebrate this important part of our community, our children.”

-- Nick of West Chester

“The Connecticut Social Security number used by President Obama on his tax returns was originally issued to one Harrison J. Bounel., who would be 123 years old today and by the Social Security Administration’s own 120 year rule, they are now obligated to release the original application without any proof that Bounel is deceased. Last year, Obama’s attorney admitted that the image of Obama’s birth certificate was a forgery. Obama’s house of cards built upon lies and forgery are ready to collapse.”

-- Tex of West Chester

“The Daily Local News reported June 7 that the Obama administration is secretly gathering telephone records of millions of telephone customers of Verizon under a top secret court order. Our president used the IRS for political purposes against the tea party. He tried d to engineer a Second Amendment weapons ban and was responsible for four deaths in the U.S. embassy in Benghazi by calling off the rapid response rescue force that was ready to respond. Is this the man that you voted to protect and defend our Constitution? Is the United States of America headed down the same path to ruin as pre-World War II Germany? Obama is the worse president ever ... a traitor to our democracy. Everything is not OK in Washington, D.C.”